Tory MP Sir David Amess has died after being stabbed multiple times while holding a constituency surgery, his office and police have said a man has been arrested. 

The 69-year-old MP, who represented Southend West in Essex since 1997, was attacked at Belfairs Methodist church in Leigh-on-Sea. 

The incident comes five years after Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered as she arrived to host a surgery in her Batley and Spen constituency in June 2016. 

In a brief statement, Essex police said a man had been arrested following an incident in Leigh-on-Sea. 

Stella Creasy, MP for Walthamstow took to twitter to describe the attack as “horrific.” 

She wrote: “Absolutely horrific - thoughts very much with David and his friends and family.” 

In a later Tweet she added: "David was decency personified.

"Always obsessed with Southend, always smiling and always kind.

"A generous and fair chair of debate, and good company even when headed into different division lobbies. Our democracy - and our hearts - are shattered."

Former prime minister David Cameron tweeted: “Very alarming and worrying news reports coming from Leigh-on-Sea. My thoughts and prayers are with Sir David Amess and his family.” 

Police said they were not looking for any other suspects, and praised members of the public for their response after the incident at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea.